Vent and flame arrester



April 7, 1931. "J. F. PATTERSON VENT 'AND FLAME ARRESTER Filed Oct. 21, 1927 v I 3mm,- .7012)? EBqi/fersph,

3% fltto'zmq I Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN F. PATTERSON, OF WARREN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE WARREN CITY TANK G: BOILER COMPANY, OF WARREN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO VEN '1 AN 1) FLAME ARBESTER Application filed October 21, 1927. Serial No. 227,830.

Fig. 2 with the addition of two plain discs e My invention relates to new and useful improvements in vents and more particularly to a vent for large tanks wherein there is to be stored a more or less combustible liquid.

The present vent is one that is particularly adapted for usewith the form of oil tanks shown in several companion cases filedby me of even date herewith.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a ventthat is to be 10- cated' at the top of the -.dome or cover of thestorage tank so that when the tank is filled and emptied the air will have a free passage in and out of the tank, thereby preventing a building up of the pressure either internally or externally of the tank.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a vent that will act as a flame arrester preventing any fire from without the tank from passin within the tank.

Still another o ject of the invention is to provide a vent whereby the air may pass either from within the tank to the outside or from the outside of the tankto within the tank thru a tortuous passage to thereby prevent any flames from passing to within the tank.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a vent and flame arrester with a movable cover or snufi'er so that should the air and gas ignite at or around the top outlet of the vent, the cover or snuffer may be either manually or automatically operated to tightly close the peripherial opening about the vent.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain new and novel arrangements and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter mbre fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings showing a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the vent or flame arrester showing the moveable snulfer in its open position,

a Fig. 2 is a fragmentary corrugated disc,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a plain dISC.

detail showing a Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4/4 of shown). The upper edge of this shell is also provided with the rim or flange 3 on which is secured small supports 4 that in turn hold the fixed outer shell or. cover 5 that is slightly larger in diameter than the shell 1 and'itsflangeB, so that there will be a space or peripherial openin 6 between the outer edge of the flange 3 and the inner surfaceof this cover 5.

Secured on this cover or shell 5 is the upstanding lug 7 in which is pivotally mounted the arm 8. Also pivotally secured to this arm 8 is the forked rod 9 which'passes thru the cover 5 and is secured to a plate 10 which I call a snufl'er. The diameter of this plate 10 is such that when lowered, it will rest across the entire top of the shell 1 and on the flange 3', heretofore mentioned.

As shown in Fig. 1,. I may provide a weight 11 on the inner end of the arm 8 so that normally the lever will be in theposition shown in Fig. 1 to hold the snufl'er in its open positiomas also shown in Fig. l.

A chain 12 may then be fastened to the end of the rod 8 so that in case of fire this chain may be manually operated to thus pull the snufler or. plate 10 down on its seat, for the urpose shortly to be described.

. I I want the lowering of the snufl'er to be automatic, I can dispense with the weight 11' at the inner end and place iton the arm 8 beyond the fulcrum point 7 and provide a fusible link 13 and connect the same to the arm 8 and to a lug 14 formed on thecover 5. In this instance, in case of fire around the vent, the fusible link 14 will melt and the weight 11 on the arm 8', in position shown on the dotted lines, will automatically cause the snufier 10. to descend and cover the'upper surface of the shell 1.

Now to provide a tortuous passage thru the vent and thus prevent any flames from reaching the interior of the tank and at the same time to let the air and gas pa'ss within the tank or escape therefrom, I provide first a conical shaped disc 15 so positioned as to form a thin annular space 16 thru which the air may; flow Above this disc is arranged a circular plate stacked on this 17 provided with 'late 17 are a plurality of perforate corrugated tween which as may be understood from Fig. 1 and Fig. 4.

The corrugations of these. discs '19 are wider at their peripherial edge 21 than they are 'at their inner edge 22, as may be seen from Fig. 2. Y 1

7 As may be seen in Fig. 1 after stacking a plurality of plain and corrugated discs, on the plate 17 I then place-another plate 23 on top of this stack, so that any air or gas "passin thru the peripherial opening 16 and ameter of these discs,

thru the opening 18 in the plate must pass out thru thecorrugations below the plate 23 as the are here bafiled and pass around theperip 'erial edge of the plain and corrugated discs and around this plate and again.

travel inwardly thru a second series of similar plain and corrugated discs;

' It will be understood of course both the plain and corrug ated, and the plate 23, is, less than the diameter of the shell 1 so that there will be a space for the gases to pass of the shell 1 and the peripherialedge of th baffle plateand the disc. v 1

' After placinga second series of plain and corrugated discs above the baffle 23, I-then provide another bafile plate '24 which'is securediabout its periphery to the shell, this plate extending completely across "the shellas does plate 17 This plate is provided with a central opening 25 as was the plate 17 so that the air and gases passing inwardly from the side may pass thru the the plain and corrugated discs and'thenthru. this opening 25 and centrally ofthe plain and corrugated again flow'thru the corrugations, as there 15 another baffle plate 26 at the very'top of the laststack of plates.

This plate is less in diameter than the sh ell 1 to provide a peripherial opening 27 as may be seen in Fig. 1. As heretoforementioned the snutfer or plate 10 when lowered, will close this peripherial opening'27.

I have indicated by arrows the tortuous paths of the air and gas thru the corrugated plates and around the several baffles so that the relationship and position of these plates will be readily'understood.

The operation of the device may be either manual or automatic as heretofore pointed out. so that should any fire occur about the to", and from: the tank-i and; which disc acts of course-as a" baflle plate."

, "1 mm the foregoing discs 19, interposed beare the plain perforate discs 20,

that the di- 1 between the sides peripherial opening corrugations 1n discs where the gases must upper edge of the vent, the chain 12 may be pulled to close the peripherial opening 27 so that there will be no way in which the flames can even pass as far as the first stack of corrugated plates.

Also I may provide the fusible link' as shown so that if for any reason. the inflammable gases should ignite,the heat will melt the A link and automatically cause the snulfer or a central opening 18 and plate 10 to, drop andclose the opening.

s s it will be seen that I have provided a vent and flame arrester that is made up of but a few parts, whereby the air and gases may normally pass thru a tortuous passage thru the vent to prevent any internal or external pressure about the tank and at the same time prevent any flames from passing thru the vent to the interior of the tank.

Finally.- in case of fire, about the vent, the same may be either manually orautomatioally closed to thus absolutely prevent the flames from finding their way thru theflame arrester. I

- It will also be understood that although I have shown three series of corrugated and plain discs, a greater number might be used if desired, and additional baflle plates added between the series in'the same manner as those alreadyshown.

I am aware that it 's old to form vents and flame arresters for storage tanks and do not claim myinvention broadly as such.

VVhat I do claim however and desire-to secure by Letters Patent is z V 1. A vent for storagetankscomprising a shell, a cover over said shell and having a between the shell and the cover, a plurality of discs within the shell, and battle plates interposed between. said discs to' provide a tortuous passage for air thru and about said discs and battle plates, and means'in said cover for automatically closing the said tortuous passageways about said discs and baffle plates to thereby let the air pass under the cover, but not down through said bafile plates. 7 v

' 2. 'A vent-for oil storage: tanks comprising" a; shell, a plurality of corrugated and plain discs within said shell, and baflleplates interposed within the shell to provide a torof. the shell for automatically closing said passagew ays by cutting off the airto said bafile plates'anddi'scs. p

A vent for oil storage tankscomprising a shell, a plurality of corrugated and plain discs Within said shell, battle plates interposed within the shell to provide a tor tuous passage of the air thru said shell and escape around the peripherial upper edge of the shell and plate means for closing the pas sageways and the peripheral opening at the upper edge of the passageways.

4. A vent and flame arrester for oil storage tanks comprising a shell, discs and baflie plates within said shell to provide a tortuous passageway, a snufler plate normally held in open position in said shell, and means for lowering said snufl'er plate to close said tortuous passageway, a cover over said shell and supporting said snuifer plate and the snuifer plate when lowered cutting off the air from the baflie plate.

5. A vent and flame arrester for oil storage tanks comprising a shell, a series of plain and corrugated discs within the shell, a bafiie plate and further series of plain and corrugated discs and a further baffle plate to provide tortuous passageways for the air thru said vent, a snufl'er plate normally held in said shell and above said discs and baflle plates, and automatic means whereby said snufi'er plate may be lowered to cover the top of the vent and close the said tortuous pas-"' sageways at their tops.

6 A vent and flame arrester for oil storage tanks comprising a shell, series of perforate corrugated and plain discs arranged within the shell, and bafile plates interposed between the series to provide tortuous passageways for the air thru the shell, the said discs being smaller in diameter than the shell to thereby form an annular space, a plate suspended in the shell and above said discs and means whereby the same may be lowered to close said annular passageway and a cover over said shell and housing said plate and also supporting said plate whereby the same may be normally held just above said annular passageway.

7. A vent and flame arrester for oil storage tanks comprising a shell, a centrally perforate support in saidshell, a stack of alternate plain and corrugated discs each having a central opening, an imperforate bafiie plate interposed between said discs and a further imperforate baflie. plate on the top of the stack of discs, a perforate baffle plate located in the stack below said top mentioned baflie plate, the diameters of the perforate discs and the imperforate plates being less than the diameter of the shell'to provide a tangential passageway for the air thru-said vent, a snufi'er plate on said shell, '21 fulcrum lever supporting said plate, means for holding the snufi'er plate normally raised and automatic means for releasing the same at the top.

8. A vent and flame arrester for oil storage tanks comprising a shell, an inwardly deposed deflector plate arranged in said shell, a series of centrally perforate plain and corrugated discs stacked within the shell. and the diameter of the discs being slightly less than the diameter of the shell to provide an annular space within the shell, imperforate baflle plates in said shell and of the same diameter as the discs, and further perforate baifle plates of greater diameter than the discs whereby the air is forced to travel thru the series of discs and about said imperforate baflle plates and thru said perforatebafile' plates andmeansin the-form of a snuffer plate extending over the top of'the shell-for closing the annular passageway about said series of discs and a spaced cover over said shell and supporting the means for-closing the :pmular passageway about thevsaid series of (ISCS. a 1

9. A vent and flame-arrester for oil storage tanks comprising a plurality ofseries of alternatedisposed plain and corrugated discs, said discs being centrally perforate, a plurality of alternately arranged perforate and imperforate baflie plates, alternatel posed between the series of discs whereby passageways thru and, about said discs and bafiie plates are provided, a snufi'er plate piv- ,otally mounted, normally held above said 'discs and baffle plates and automatic means for permitting the lowering of said plate when. the temperature about said vent rises above a certain de ree.

10. A vent and flame arrester for oil storage tanks comprising a shell and anoverlap= ping cover, the diameter being such as to provide an annular outlet between the cover disand shell, a stack of alternately disposed plain and corrugated discs, the corrugations 95 widening as they approach their peripherial extremity, the diameter, of the discs being less than the diameter of the shell to provide an annular passageway between the disc and the shell, said disc being centrally perforate, two imperforate plates of the same diameter as the discs arranged in said stack, two baffle plates having a central opening, the diameter of the plates'being the diameter of the shell, a deflector plate arranged below said disc, whereby the air is caused to flow inwardly and outwardly as it rises thru said flame arrester and means arranged under the overlapping cover for closing the top of the shell. I

11. A vent and flame arrester for oil storage tanks comprising a shell with a peripherial flange at its top, a cover extending over said peripherial flange and leaving an-annular passageway about said flange, an arm pivoted on said cover, a plate under said cover connected with said arm and the said plate adapted to seat on said flange when said arm is lowered, means for lowering said arm, a series of plain and corrugated discs arranged in said arrester and baflie plates interposed between certain of said discs, whereby the air 18 caused to flow outwardly thru some of the corrugated plates and inwardly thru the others and about said baffle plates when said plates whereby the air 1n passing thru said flame arrester must flow inwardly and outwardly thru the discs to escape from the vent, the said vent provided with a peripherial opening at its top, a cover extending over the discs and baffle plates and spaced therefrom, a movable plate withinthe cover and means mounted on the cover and extending within said cover for supporting said plate, and a lowering of the plate stopping the air from passing throughsaid disc by closing the 'peripherial opening about said disc. In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN F. PATTERSON. 

